LOVE

Remember how in my last post (in MAY, eek!) I said I had booked a trip to New York? Well about 10 days ago I left on that trip, and had an absolute blast, as well as took my Redken Certified Colorist test. Which was hard, and fun, and stressful, and I don't get the results for 6 more weeks (ugh). Well that's not what I'm writing about. Even though I just might need to write another post about how AMAZING Mary Poppins was... What I'm sharing, is the very exciting thing that happened when I got home!

For quite some time now I have been dating a very handsome boy name Brandon Barlow. And that handsome boy who I had fallen very much in love with text me while I was in New York and said "he would love to pick me up from the airport". So I told my parents not to worry, that B was taking care of me. (he's cute, right? Ignore my face in this one. I had just flown across the country)

Secretly I was hoping that he would be waiting for me in baggage claim with a lot of flowers and a very sparkly little something. Sadly when I arrived in baggage claim, Brandon was nowhere to be found and I was left to lug my very heavy bag out to the curb where he said he would be waiting.

I got to the curb and he was not there waiting...

I waited, and about 10 minutes later B pulled up, wearing basketball shorts and an inside out t-shirt loads me up in the car and we drive away. At that point I realized I had been being silly thinking that,that night was the night, because after all it was almost midnight and he was wearing basket ball shorts. We started driving and Brandon headed East on the I2-15 though I live West. I started complaining, that I had been flying for about 9 hours, it was late, I had been up since 5am, and just wanted to go home,shower and go to bed. Brandon informed me that we hadn't seen each other for 5 days, he wanted some quality time, and I had no choice since he was driving. So, off to his house we went.

We got to his house and B told me I had to see the progress he had made in moving stuff out of his room, so I drug myself upstairs, and opened his door, and found this:

I got a little choked up and started doing my nervous laugh, and Brandon knelt down. Brushed the floor covered in chocolate kisses, and said Melinda, i kiss the ground you walk on (he's super cheesy, don't let his outer demeanor fool you, he's a total softy). We had a little chuckle over that then he told me some nice things, that he loved me and wanted to marry me, and asked me if I would...

And how could I resist a guy who would propose with carved pumpkins (did you notice the ring box inside the heart pumpkin?). So... I said YES!!!

And now we plan on living happily ever after.

All these things that I've done...

I am feeling so blessed in my life right now, there are just so many good things going on, so I thought I would share!

First an update on the fam:

1. My baby brother is getting married on June 26th to an awesome girl named Julie that we can't wait to have as part of the family! AND he just found out that he won a full ride scholarship because his grades are off the hook!! Brains and Brawn... Julie is so lucky!

2. My other little brother just graduated with his masters in accounting, and his wife finished her associates! Happy graduation to them!! Tyrel got a job in Vegas, with a big accounting firm which means they are moving HERE!!! Now they just need to get busy making me an aunt and life will really be complete. (I'm going to be an awesome aunt)

3. Since I'm talking about the fam I have to brag about my sisters. Jess is tearing it up on the volleyball court! She is a tall gorgeous blond that only cares about getting to college on a volleyball scholarship and I love it. Kami is in aestitician school and LOVING it. It's so fun to see her excelling at school. And she's really good! She even got Brandon in there for some waxing!! And he's already wanting to go back!

In other news:

Things at the salon are soooo good right now. I've been working with an assistant Leah, and she is fabulous!! She makes my life so much easier, and I can book more clients, which means I am getting busier. My clients love her! Though I'm a little worried about what I'm going to do when she leaves me to work on her own!!

Also my awesome photographer friend Christy of ChristyCropperphotography.com has been taking some amazing pics of my clients for an online portfolio, and of me, for some advertising and things I have in the works. She even made me look cool!

AND!!! I just booked a trip to New York to go to the REDKEN exchange! I'm going to take a 9 1/2 hour, 3 part test to become a certified Redken colorist. This means lots of studying and practicing in my near future, but I am so excited! All of my color specialist classes better pay off! Passing this test can open up even more opportunities, and I can't wait!

So yeah, pretty much my life is awesome... JEALOUS?

My new boyfriend... KINDLE

There is a new love in my life and I want to tell everyone about it. We met on my birthday, and it was love at first sight. Kindle takes me places I've never been before, makes me laugh, cry, and think about things I've never considered previously. I can't wait to get done with work so we can spend time together, and cuddle up in bed together. Kindle has changed my life!

Ok so Kindle might be my amazon reader that I got for my birthday in August, but seriously I am in love! My parents had an amazing gift giving year. Kindle for my birthday and a baby grand piano for Christmas. I feel like they are kind of setting me up for disappointment because I don't think they'll ever be able to top 2009.

And in the interest of sharing, here are the books I've read so far on my kindle, in case anyone is looking for a good read.

1.The Unlikely Disciple- super interesting, about a journalists "study abroad" to and evangelical college. Really made you think about what you believe and why.

2. Three Cups of Tea- Really enjoyed reading about how one man is doing what he can to change the world

3.The Weight of Silence- Pretty good book about a dysfunctional family, includes an unexpected turn of events.

4.Half Broke Horses- A true novel written by Jeanette Walls, the same person who wrote one of my favorite books, The Glass Castle, and I loved this book just as much. It's the story of her Grandmother, a force of a woman, and her incredible story.

5.The Red Tent- This book is set in the time of Joseph and his multi-colored coat, but isn't really a bible story. It's a story about the women's culture and their time spent in the red tent (a place they went during their monthly cycle, to give birth, nurse their children, and generally be together as women)

6. The Adoration of Jenna Fox- This book was a bit of a stretch from my usual reads, but enjoyable non the less. Makes you think a lot about the pros and cons of scientific advancements

7. The New York Regional Mormon Singles Halloween Dance- Love, love, loved this book. I was sceptical at first, but in the end am a huge fan, maybe because I identified so much with Elna Baker, I might actually be her.

8. Graceling- this book was also a little outside of my norm, but I really liked it. About a girl who was a graced killer, and her struggle to not be the monster she felt she was born to be

9. The Hunger Games- Totally understand why this book is popular. I want this to be a movie!

10. Pretty in Plaid- Another book by Jen Lancaster, this is a prequel to her Bitter is the new black series. Her attempt to explain just why she is the way she is. A silly book, but fun read

11. The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society- This one was a little hard to get into, it's written as a correspondence of letters between a group of friends. But it's worth sticking to.

12. Fancy White Trash- A silly little teen novel. Fun read if you just want something easy and mindless

13. Running with Scissors- I hated this book, I didn't finish it, and deleted it from Kindle. Don't read it!

14. American Eve- The Story of Evelynn Nesbitt, a tragic story about a young child model/actor, a kept woman, and the men who literally went crazy over her. Great read. A vocabulary stretcher.

15. Act Like a Lady, Think Like a Man- Written by Steve Harvey, I think every girl should read this book. So many good insights, and obviously hilarious.

16. When You Are Engulfed in Flames- Short stories by David Sedaris, I liked some of the stories a lot and some not at all. Good read.

17. Columbine: A True Crime Story- Pretty interesting book. Another angle on Columbine, something I hadn't really thought about in awhile

18. Julie and Julia- Fun cute book, liked the movie too.

19. The Help- I LOVED this book, about the relationship of a white woman and her black maid set in the 1960's. Would definitely recommend this one!

20. Snow Flower and the Secret Fan- This book was recommended to me and I've recommended it to a bunch of people as well. Set in 19th century China it's all about women,their secret language, how they lived and the arranged friendships that were even more powerful and binding than their arranged marriages.